Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-02-28
8eligiuas Department.
A FRESH THOUGHT.

/
| The September morning was clear. with
a cool. bracing air, and as Esquire East
on's housekeeping gray horse brought him
forth upon an occasional hilltop. as tley
sped rapidly along the undulating country
road leading from his residence to the adj
iacent country seat, he drew deep breathS
of satisfaction, All thoughts of earthly
tribunals faded away for the time beino
as he gazed afar at the horizon line where
the distant mountain chain was define d
against the blue ether.
A morning like this would strengthen
a mans faith, if he had any faith" he
reasoned. 1T creates a belief in the i'm
mortality of the soul by the intense long
yond the impenetratable beauty of the
morning. l wish knew how to pray. |
wish there was some pious soul here to
pray for me.
There are ParsOn Wardwells chimnevs
rising above the naples" he continued,
as he reached another hilltop and took in
the view of the approaching valley. He
has never spoken to me upon the subject
of religion because l pass for an atheist,
probably, and he wishes to avoid contro-
versy, but am sure he will give me
fresh thought if | call and tell him that
am almost persuaded to become a Chris
tian.
l have often wondered how an educated
man could settle down to the routine of a
country parish. Under the influence of
morning like this | can understand how
person could consecrate their lives to the
garnering of souls. l have even a little
Shimmering of an idea, denied me before,
of the motive that inspired the Christ to
die for a sin-bound world. l will humble
my pride and ask the dominic to pray
that l may have more light-the light my
soul needs to make me a simple, loving,
trusting Christian, for l am convinced
that nothing else can satisfy the restless
longings of the human soul
Shaking the russell lines the gray horse
sped down an avenue of naples and
brought his driver to a standstill before
the parsons study; long, low ell
branching out on the north side of the
parsonage and surrounded by thick, dark,
gruesOme fir trees.
Through the murky window panes the
lawyer saw the minister remove his pipe
from his mouth, arise from his easy
chair, and taking something from his
desk hasten out, shivering slightly as he
emerged into the bracing air
''Oh, good morning, Esquire Easton,"
he cried Il am glad to see you. You
are the man of all others | was longing
for. l need fresh thought to help me
along in an article l am writing. What
do you think of that now?" and he held
out in his long, thin, soft cold hand an
oyster shell.
LAS a specimen" queried the lawyer.
''Well, let me explain, let me get at
once to the pith of the matter. In the
beginning do you suppose
Il suppose, Mr.. Wardwell," said the
lawyer in a voice that trembled with sup
pressed emotion and earnestness, that if
L was a minister of Christ, solemnly set
apart to preach his Gospel, that I should
give my whole attention to the saving of
souls for his kingdom" and turning his
horse he drove rapidly away, while the
surprised parson was exercising himself
by saying:
"Why-why, religious journals take
these evolution papers of mine, and
sometimes pay me as much as ten dollars
a column for them. Why-why! What
has got into the man, I wonder? He
writes scientific articles himself. There
was a look in his face that l never saw
there before, and he never called before,
he mnSt have had reason. Oh, my GOD, |
can it be he is troubled about his soul? |
What condition am l in TO meet an in |
quirer?"
The parsOn had gained fresh thought |
and went back to his study, but not to the |
conclusion of his article, and | doubt if it |
ever was finished.
The lawyer meanwhile driving on in a |
somewhat perturbed state of mind, over
took poor old coIored woman with a
heavy basket, and invited her to ride
'Oh, the Lord Dress yerl" she grunted.
Il wish He would said the lawyer,
''by making me feel that 1 am one of his
accepted children"
you tell Him that, jest as honest as
You tells me, then you read your Bible,
and mind what you read there, and you
finds out"
So the lawyer got his fresh thought
that he craved, and it brought him COM
fort.
WISE WORDS.